The present invention relates to a collapsible container. More particularly, the invention relates to a collapsible container for milk cartons.
Containers or cases for 20 or 24 cartons of milk are used in making milk deliveries. In past years, when milk was delivered in glass bottles, the containers were made of strong wood and steel. These days, the containers are very strong, sturdy boxes of plastic. The containers are very well constructed and are durable, since they are handled, at the milk processing plant, by hand and fork lift trucks and must be stackable on each other and on pallets.
For years, people have been appropriating the milk company cases, containers or boxes for their own use, because of their great structural strength. The boxes are privately used to support very heavy objects such as automotive vehicles, for the storage of articles and objects, as individual seats or benches, and for many other purposes. Almost every private garage has at least one or more milk boxes in it. The milk companies thus lose many thousands of boxes, and therefore many thousands of dollars, each year.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container is structurally strong enough to carry milk, but collapses in the absence of milk cartons therein.
An object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container is sturdy when milk cartons are stored therein and may be stacked and carried on pallets by fork lift trucks, but collapses in the absence of milk cartons therein.
Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container functions as a known box when it carries milk cartons, permits easy handling thereof and protects such cartons from damage in handling, but, in the absence of milk cartons, collapses to a minimum size and area.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container functions efficiently, effectively and reliably to carry and store milk cartons without difficulty, but collapses, and is essentially useless for any purpose when there are no milk cartons in it.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container is inexpensive in manufacture, of simple structure, useless for anything but storing and carrying cartons of milk, and collapses to a minimum size and area in the absence of milk cartons, so that it occupies considerably less storage space than conventional milk boxes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container for milk cartons, which container, when not carrying milk cartons, collapses to a size and area about one fifth that of a conventional milk box or case, so that five or six of the collapsed containers are stackable in the space occupied by one conventional milk box and are easily handled, on a pallet, by a fork lift truck and provide considerably more "walking" space in milk processing plants and in milk delivery trucks.